What Causes Stretch Marks in Teenagers?
Stretch marks usually develop because of rapid growth spurts, such as occur during adolescence. It is this extensive stretching of the skin over a short period which is considered the most common cause of stretch marks in teenagers.Stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body but usually on the areas of the body where a greater amount of fat is stored, such as the abdomen, hips, breasts, upper arms, buttocks and thighs. In teenagers, stretch marks sometimes appear on the shoulders and back. Teenage boys tend to get stretch marks on the shoulders, buttocks and thighs, and teenage girls tend to get them on the breasts, hips and thighs. When the skin is stretched over a short period of time, as can happen during rapid growth spurts, the stretchy fibres in the dermis can tear resulting in the appearance of those reddish or purplish coloured lines we call stretch marks. The skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis (the middle layer) and the subcutaneous layer. It is in th
